Caltech-like environment for a B+ student?

Transfer Students
1

<p>Any place with academics (and size) similar to caltech for computer science for someone with a 3.69 gpa (4.0 in all math and computer science class)? </p>

<p>I have okay ECs but not great (working and going to school full time kind of precludes ECs), Math TA, Math tutor, PTK, Math League. </p>

<p>Ideally I would like to stay on the west coast, but I am willing to move for the right school. Also, I really need places with Spring admissions, since I’m pretty much out of classes that I can take at the community college level.</p>

<p>Right now I am looking at these schools:</p>

<p>Purdue University
Georgia Tech
Illinois Institute of Technology
Worcester Polytechnic Institute</p>

<p>Any other suggestions, or thoughts/chances for these schools?</p>

<p>I think the major thing working against me is that I don’t have physics and won’t be able to get it before I transfer. My CC only offers one calc based physics class each semester (phys I in fall and phys II in spring), with only one available section. It has continuously conflicted with my work schedule. I also don’t have chemistry because my CC keeps canceling the advanced chemistry class. Would it benefit me to explain this on my application?</p>

2

<p>Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute</p>

<p>Perhaps you could try for Carnegie Mellon as well?</p>

3

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<p>Perhaps, but at the same time, they might want to know if you have looked at taking it somewhere else, and if not, why you haven’t taken that initiative. When classes were cancelled at my community college, students simply enrolled at one of the other ones or at UConn and took them there. Have you tried doing anything like that?</p>

4

<p>Oh, I am planning on applying to Rensslaer, I just forgot to list it. Carnegie Melon has come up quite a bit in various searches I have done. I’m not sure I have good enough stats to get in though.</p>

5

<p>I think you should shoot for some higher ranked schools as well. A 3.69 is a really good GPA. I know of a couple of people on here (myself incl.) and elsewhere who have gotten in to top 20 schools with lower GPA’s. Good luck!! :)</p>

6

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<p>Yeah, I did actually. I talked to a councilor about taking the classes at the uni. The CC doesn’t adjust your cost of attendance, and my EFC was really high (I went back to school after being laid off, so my EFC was based on income I didn’t actually have). I ended up only getting approved $6000 aid for the whole year, it just wasn’t possible for me to make that work financially. I have a job now, but I don’t make even close to what I made before, so it really just doesn’t work.</p>

7

<p>Oh, that’s a shame. :frowning: Where I live, there are something like 7 or 8 additional community colleges within a 45-minute drive, so people cross-register all the time. And due to the labs, it’s not exactly something you can do on-line…that kinda stinks. Glad you checked into it, though.</p>